Wafer-Scale Fabricated Y 2 O 3 -Ir Thermionic Electron Sources for Robust Operation in Rough Vacuum
Abstract
This work demonstrates wafer-scale fabricated on-chip thermionic electron sources utilizing a microscale Y2O3-Ir filament designed for robust operation in rough vacuum. By integrating electroplated Ir filaments on a glass wafer with a thermally evaporated Y2O3layer, we achieve a maximum emission current density of 46.0 A/cm2. The devices demonstrate exceptional robustness in rough vacuum, sustaining stable electron emission for nearly 4 hours at vacuum level of 100 Pa. They exhibit lifetime improvements of 24 times and orders of magnitude, respectively, when compared with their counterparts based on pure Ir and W filaments. Our devices are promising for applications in on-chip vacuum electronic devices working in poor vacuum.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Photocathodes and Microchannel Plates
Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
Gyrotron and Vacuum Electronics Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- IEEE Electron Device Letters
- Publisher
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 993–996
- Publication date
- 2 March 2026